Job Openings and Labor Turnover: June 2005

Historical release narrative reproduced from the official public-domain source. Statistical tables, standard technical appendices, administrative material and attendance rosters are omitted; formatting is adapted for reading. Figures retain the release's historical context and may have been revised. Consult the linked source for the complete document.

The job openings, hires, and total separations rates were all essentially unchanged in June, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. This release includes estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires, and separations for the total nonfarm sector by industry and geographic region.

Job Openings

On the last business day of June 2005, there were 3.5 million job openings in the United States, and the job openings rate was 2.6 percent. (See table 1.) The job openings rate was little changed in June, but has generally trended upward since September 2003. In June, the job openings rate was little changed in all industries and regions except in the West, where it increased.

Hires and Separations

The hires rate was little changed at 3.5 percent in June. (See table 2.) Hires are any additions to the payroll during the month. In June, the hires rate was little changed in each region, and changed significantly only in the leisure and hospitality industry, where it increased.

The total separations, or turnover, rate was little changed at 3.3 percent in June. (See table 3.) Separations are terminations of em- ployment that occur at any time during the month. In June, the total separations rate did not change significantly in any industry or region.

Total separations include quits (voluntary separations), layoffs and discharges (involuntary separations), and other separations (including retirements). The quits rate, which can serve as a barometer of workers' ability to change jobs, remained at 1.9 percent in June. (See table 4.) The quits rate did not change significantly in any industry in June. In the regions, the quits rate changed only in the West, where it increased.

The other two components of total separations--layoffs and discharges, and other separations--are not seasonally adjusted. From June 2004 to June 2005, the layoffs and discharges rate was unchanged at 1.1 percent, but the other separations rate decreased to 0.2 percent. (See tables 9 and 10.)

Hires and separations data help show dynamic flows in the labor market. Over the last 12 months, hires have averaged 4.6 million per month and separations have averaged 4.4 million per month (not seasonally adjusted). The comparable figures a year earlier were 4.3 million hires and 4.1 million separations. (See the Technical Note for additional information on these measures.)

For additional information, please read the Technical Note or visit the JOLTS Web site at http://www.bls.gov/jlt/. Additional information about JOLTS also may be obtained by e-mailing Joltsinfo@bls.gov or by calling (202) 691-5870.

The Job Openings and Labor Turnover release for July 2005 is scheduled to be issued on Wednesday, September 7, 2005.